EVERETT — Everett’s 2004 budget will be lean, but not mean, City Council member Mark Olson said Thursday.
The City Council unanimously adopted the city’s $96 million 2004 budget Wednesday night.
But it remains to be seen whether Mayor Ray Stephanson will make further cuts. Stephanson has vowed not to dip into the city’s surplus to balance the budget.
As approved, the budget does not call for employee layoffs or a reduction in city services.
"No termination notices are expected," Olson said.
Retaining the city’s 1,100 employees and keeping services at current levels required using part of the city’s surplus to balance the budget, Olson said.
"We are utilizing some money from the $23 million record surplus over the last couple of years so that we can continue the level of services that citizens are accustomed to," he said.
It is important to utilize the surplus this way, he added.
"The economic indicators, we’ve heard over the last four or five weeks, indicate a rise in the economy. It’s not time to cut back on city services," Olson said.
On Thursday, Stephanson repeated his promise not to dip into the surplus. He is now reviewing the budget and is expected to come up with a proposal. However, he does not plan to pink-slip any of the city’s workers.
"That would be my last resort," Stephanson said.
The surplus was a major issue in the Nov. 4 mayoral election. Former Mayor Frank Anderson proposed using $4.8 million of the surplus to balance the budget, the figure the council used in its budget. But Stephanson vowed not to use any of it during his campaign.
While there aren’t any layoffs planned, the city is expected to lose about 20 employees over the next 12 months because of retirement and attrition. Those positions will be not filled.
Council member Bob Overstreet said the budget is now in the hands of the mayor.
"The mayor spends up to that authorization, but if he feels the need to make cuts, he can do so," Overstreet said. "We need to give the mayor time to get into the nuts and bolts of it."
Reporter Janice Podsada:
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